Over the past few weeks, we have taken inventory of the social landscape of North America and have witnessed the escalation of tensions among all people as it relates to the recent and tragic deaths of Black men and women in the US and Canada. Though we have not experienced identical expressions of racism, we know that it still persists here in Ontario and Quebec. We pray it will not continue. As Canadian Baptists, we must be sensitive and understanding. We have a responsibility as Christians to live by God’s Word and truly believe that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34) and neither should we. Ever.

It is important that we seek to understand one another and the pain of others. Rather than stopping with an “ex cathedra” statement from CBOQ, could we continue to set a table of welcome and understanding? Could we elevate the voices and perspectives of those whose lives are affected and encourage dialogue that produces change?

I’ve learned in life that I am usually motivated most often to action when I am asked simple questions that conjure up in me a passion to move, create change and influence others to do the same. Therefore, I ask you these questions today:

Who, in your sphere of care, influence and community should you call right now and promise them of your commitment to stand with them in this time of unrest and uncertainty?

Whose voice should you elevate in this moment in time?

How can you take action in your community today that will provide assurance that we live by Luke’s words that God shows no partiality?

What needs to change about yourself that will raise high the name of Christ and exhibit love of all people?

“Proximity breeds empathy.” Eric Mason – What relationships should you begin to build now that promotes understanding of one another?

Part of building understanding means not just speaking for others, but rather creating space for listening to others as they share their perspectives. To practice what I preach, I asked my friend, Pastor Audley Goulbourne of Lisle Memorial Baptist Church, Toronto, a few questions. I hope you’ll listen with me.

Audley, as you reflect on the recent tragic events in the United States, how does that affect you, your family and community?

Thankfully, there have been cameras to capture a glimpse for the world to see of the unjust mistreatment of Blacks and the racism that has been going in the United States. (In Canada it has not been as blatant.) COVID-19 has further amplified the inequity that exist as seen by the higher death rate amongst Blacks. There is support for peaceful protest to overturn the status quo and with the hope of lasting systemic changes.

Jogging in the ”land of the free” should not have been a death sentence for Ahmaud Arbery. Fortunately, the bird watcher—Christian Cooper—in New York did not lose his life after that 911 call. Amy Cooper had used and abused her white privilege to make that call. But George Floyd’s fate was different after another 911 call in Minnesota. I was appalled when I saw how his life was terminated so needlessly and inhumanely. The police officer abused his power with such indifference.

The community has been traumatized again as he has joined the long list of Black men who have been killed by police. The concern has been that the police have been literally getting away with murder too many times. There is an awareness that they are not held accountable and brought to justice when they violate their oath to serve and protect. There is heightened fear in parents for their sons particularly, becoming targets to be treated aggressively and unfairly by the police.

Our Canadian Baptists are well-meaning people, but sometimes we don’t know the best course of action. How can we support the Black community and show care and solidarity?

The solidarity we hope to achieve comes from each of us recognizing we belong to the human race.Martin Luther King, Jr. eloquently expressed, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” We are further bound together in the Church as members of the body of Christ. At this time these words of the apostle Paul are apropos,If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it (1 Corinthians 12:26).

In order to begin to realize this solidarity and to show care, I am proposing that you:

Be informedGet educated on the historical context, the issues and the terms such as white privilege, systemic racism and social justice.

Be intentional
Do what you can to address the issues or plight of others. Looking away, silence or rationalizing why you cannot be involved are not options. The Good Samaritan is the role model.

Be influentialUse your sphere of influence especially as pastors and parents to acknowledge racial issues, disparities and injustices. Have the hard conversations and get engaged with us to find constructive ways to promote and model shalom. (I am encouraged that our executive minister, Tim McCoy reached out and is using his influence and this medium to encourage you to be actively involved as the CBOQ family.)

How can we work together in the broader community as we seek God’s justice and reconciliation between different ethnicities?

The Church should be a reconciling community and be a model of different ethnicities coming together.Laurie Barber, a retired CBOQ leader, would often say the Church is to do by grace what the school is required to do by law. In the cities, our children live with diversity during the week but are segregated on Sundays. This means we are to be willing to make room for people of different ethnicities in the community. I know from personal experience that it is easier said than done, even as the church’s theme this year is Making Room. As individual churches in CBOQ, let us seek to build bridges with diverse cultures through, for example, joint worship services, pulpit exchanges and shared mission. Let us be churches with open hearts and open doors to welcome others as the overflow of God’s grace. There needs to be opportunity to come together, especially when any ethnic group is facing a crisis, to provide support spiritually, practically and morally.

Let us seek to experience a foretaste of heaven where the countless multitude will gather from every nation, tribe, people and language to worship the Lamb (Rev.6:9).

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/06/stepping-forward/feed/1Inclusive Leadershiphttps://baptist.ca/2020/06/inclusive-leadership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=inclusive-leadership
https://baptist.ca/2020/06/inclusive-leadership/#respondFri, 05 Jun 2020 02:36:44 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12079Culture is the unspoken language that defines the way we see the world. It is partially determined by our geographic location, but it is so much more. As every newly married couple discovers, every family unit has its own culture (when do we eat, how loud the TV can be, who does what, and whether we’re punctual or late, to name but a few). And those seemingly small differences can sometimes cause big problems.

Culture is the encoded, invisible Rule by which we live that, to a large degree, defines everything about us. And those rules, when broken, can make us very upset, uneasy or even angry. But what can we do about it?

Expanding Our Horizons

Just as exercise can be tiring for our bodies; doing the work of understanding the perspective of others can be tiring for our minds. So why bother? Why do it if it’s hard? Here’s the thing: if we don’t exercise our bodies, we lose our health and strength. If we don’t exercise our minds, we become close-minded, fearful and inflexible. If we don’t work at developing empathy and compassion, we can become narcissistic and cold. A little stretching outside of our comfort zones, a little reaching toward others who see the world differently enriches our souls and expands our horizons. Best of all, we have the chance to make some incredible friends and learn more about the multifaceted beauty of God through the diversity of Christ’s people.

Reaching Out

So how do we do it? How do we as Christians, as churches and leaders, stretch ourselves, expand our understanding, and develop the ability to love new people who may look or do things differently from ourselves? We practice inclusive leadership.

I spoke with Padre Michelet Dormeus about how we can lead—and live—more inclusively, and in so doing make ourselves, our churches and our CBOQ family better, stronger, wiser and reflect better the diversity of God’s Kingdom.

“People from diverse cultures can make CBOQ stronger.”—Pastor Michelet Dormeus

With governments at different levels thinking through how best to reopen parts of Quebec and Ontario, churches and youth ministries are discussing what the next phase will be. To help guide you, CBOQ launched its latest resource:Preparing Your Church for the Next Phase.

Youth leaders have many factors to consider.Youthministries are usually a smaller segment of the local church family, which provides them with different opportunities and considerations compared to the operations of other ministries and the church at large.Here are some questions to consider:

What activities/programs/methods have we been doing since the pandemic started that we want to ensure we continue? With those items, do they replace/supplement what worked before?

From a longer-term view, if you are integrating different online and in-person elements, how do they work together (or do they)? For example, will you have both an online/streamed presence and an in-person youth group meeting or will you have 2 separate meetings?

With these ideas, which ones are sustainable with everything else in the youth ministry?

How comfortable are your youth and youth leaders with in-person gathering post COVID-19? (If you’re not sure, have those conversations now and keep them going.)

If the situation worsens (physical distancing tightens up again), what is your contingency plan for the various parts of the youth ministry? How will that be communicated?

What new procedures (e.g. sanitization) need to be followed? (This could include guidelines from the government, local public health or church leadership.) How will you ensure these elements are implemented?What supplemental training do you need to provide?

What will you communicate to your “stakeholders” (i.e. youth, parents, church leadership) and what timeline will you use?

How do these plans align with the church’s overall next-phase plans? Is it consistent with the overall reopening plans?

Each church’s context will be different, so your next-phase plans may be unique to you. If you need help thinking through this, contact Alvin.

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/next-phase-of-youth-ministry/feed/1Stress, anyone?https://baptist.ca/2020/05/stress-anyone/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stress-anyone
https://baptist.ca/2020/05/stress-anyone/#respondThu, 21 May 2020 15:52:22 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12060How are your stress levels these days? I mean are your concentration, level of joy, decision-making ability, discernment, anxiety, anger and sense of inner peace where they should be? If you have noticed that one or more of these are different than what they were, say, three months ago, then it is a sign that you are experiencing stress.

There is nothing wrong with that. We are living in stressful times. However, when we allow our stress levels to remain high for too long, we deplete our energies and even run the risk of burn out. Now is the time to do something about it—before that happens. We cannot remove the COVID-19 crisis, a major cause of this stress, but we can mitigate its effect.

As ministry leaders, it is important to remain centred on your hope, to practice gratitude, to exercise kindness to yourself and others, and to rely on your faith.

Help When You Need It

Finding it very difficult to focus on any of the items in the previous paragraph may be an indication that you are near burnout. Other possible signs are regularly feeling overwhelmed, tired, depressed, irritable, impatient, worried and anxious, fearful, experiencing headaches and stomach problems, and not caring that you neglect your work and appearance.

If these symptoms apply to you, do not wait; I implore you to speak to someone. While it may be difficult to do, there is no shame revealing to your physician or a therapist what is happening inside of you. It is the right thing to do.

Your church cares about you and wants you healthy. That is why it provides for you to access the confidential Employee Assistance Programme (1-800-387-4765) and counseling through your medical benefits. Your people know that an unhealthy pastor cannot offer healthy and effective leadership.

The last two months have been stressful as you have had to learn how minister to your congregation in different ways. Soon, you will face more challenges as the government relaxes the rules of confinement. Do not wait to take stock of your stress level until later. Your church needs you healthy!

As you reflect on your stress level, perhaps there is an invitation from God to develop healthier work rhythms, reach out to a colleague pastor to have a heart to heart, or even develop an intimate soul level prayer group where you can be honest with God and each other.

Finally, consider joining the Soul Care Day for Pastors on June 11, 2020. Let God meet you where you are. It will be time well spent.

CBOQ’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is confidential and provided by Morneau Shepell. You can find insightful articles on stress and other topics on their website, https://www.workhealthlife.com/

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/stress-anyone/feed/0Motorbikes and Miracleshttps://baptist.ca/2020/05/motorbikes-and-miracles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=motorbikes-and-miracles
https://baptist.ca/2020/05/motorbikes-and-miracles/#commentsThu, 07 May 2020 00:57:52 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12048Yesterday was one of those days when this pandemic was really getting to me. Tired, grumpy and stressed, I was not feeling much like a vessel of the Holy Spirit.

Do you have days like that?

My mood was so off, that when we were asked in our staff devotional time to think of something we were grateful for, I have to admit… I fumbled through my answer. I don’t even remember what I said, but I know that my heart wasn’t in it.

But then, on a walk with my husband and kids that evening, something happened that changed my whole perspective.

As we rounded a corner, we heard the sound of a motorcycle tearing toward us down the main street. Just as it arrived at the intersection, we were startled by an mighty “CRACK”. A car turning left had cut into the motorcyclist’s path. After a quick visual confirmation that my family were all safe, I dialed 911. A car was stopped in the intersection, half turned, the front ripped off and scattered on the road. The bike lay on the ground behind a parked van, mangled and leaking gasoline. The driver of the car was stunned but seemed otherwise fine… but then as the 911 operator picked up my call… where was the driver of the motorcycle? Standing at the crash, there was no one to be seen. He couldn’t just have vanished… right?

As my husband wisely removed our young kids from the scene, I stayed on the line with 911, searching with trepidation over what I might find. I ran up the road, looking for the driver, and then heard the shouts and moans of the injured man—over 100 ft from the smashed bike. His helmet was in the middle of the road; his shoes were scattered like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs, marking his trail from the wreck to where he now lay. Stuck on his side and unable to move his likely-broken legs, he was calling for help. Others rushed ahead of me to his side, so I held back, acutely aware of the still present threat of COVID-19 and the gathering crowd, but within moments police and paramedics had flooded the scene, removing any necessity for any onlookers to linger.

With the man now cared for, and dismissed by the police, I walked away… and then it hit me. The bike had crashed just feet from my children. Hit from the side, the bike could have flown into us. Pieces could have hit us. The car could have jumped the curb. The driver himself could have been knocked right into us. Worst case scenarios ricocheted around my imagination.

I’ve seen only a few true miracles in my life, but let me tell you… this one tops the list. That the driver was alive after a high speed collision and 100 ft of airtime was a miracle. That my family was uninjured after being so close to a potential tragedy was a miracle. That people were there, willing to help despite the risks was a miracle.

I don’t use this platform to tell personal stories because this is where we share stories of our incredible churches. But on this one instance, I’m making an exception, because there is always place to express gratitude to our merciful Father. And Baptist family, I am very, very grateful.

These days are hard; the future opaque. It is a season of fear and anxiety and economic hardship, and there are no guarantees. But one thing is crystal clear to me in this moment.

God is with us.

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/motorbikes-and-miracles/feed/3Snapshots from our Family of Churcheshttps://baptist.ca/2020/05/snapshots-from-our-family-of-churches/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=snapshots-from-our-family-of-churches
https://baptist.ca/2020/05/snapshots-from-our-family-of-churches/#respondWed, 06 May 2020 17:14:07 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12043Pastor Blake Bentley, Pickering Community Baptist Church

My name is Blake Bentley and I am a pastor at Pickering Community Baptist Church. Since COVID-19 began, we’ve had to scale down our operations dramatically and, like most churches, move everything online. Sundays are online now… and so are our small groups. Normally, we do our small groups in three terms over a calendar year. Currently, we’re in the midst of our second term and this small group is scheduled to run 12 weeks into early June. Split by gender (we’ve found that to be the most successful), our groups cover the same materials.

Surprisingly, this term we saw an increase in our small group attendance. We are, by nature, a commuter-church. When distance was removed from the equation, we had men and women from all over Durham and Scarborough/Markham sign up online. Currently, we are holding the highest number of men in our small group (14) and a record number of women in small group (13)! From a congregation of 40-50 including children, this is an amazing uptick in people attending. Moving forward after COVID-19, we will seriously consider continuing the online portion of small groups, or have some mixture of in-person and online.

Dawn Augustine, Ambassador Baptist Church

The grant from CBOQ has been a great blessing and is being used to assist with our Wednesday Community Dinner and devotion program. Ambassador Baptist Church held a wonderful Christmas community dinner in December 2019 and in the New Year we were regularly having about 50 people attending our weekly Wednesday night dinner. But in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the City of Windsor restricting gatherings to no more than 20 people. Having already scheduled the food for Wednesday, March 18, we wanted to help our regular attendees even though they would not be able to participate in a group meal together inside the church. We put out a notice that the church would provide take-out meals instead.

A few brave souls came out in the pouring rain to pick up some boxed take-out dinners; others we delivered directly to a few people that would normally have been at the dinner. The leftover take out boxes were taken over to Street Help, another local charity in our community to benefit others in need. Since that day, the restrictions on gatherings moved down to fewer than 10 people and then fewer than five, so, sadly, we will not be able to have another community dinner until these restrictions are lifted. Even so, during the last six weeks we have been able to assist several people through our church food bank, but we do look forward to reinstating our Wednesday Community Dinner program as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/snapshots-from-our-family-of-churches/feed/0A Glimpse into Open Homes https://baptist.ca/2020/05/a-glimpse-into-open-homes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-glimpse-into-open-homes
https://baptist.ca/2020/05/a-glimpse-into-open-homes/#respondWed, 06 May 2020 12:11:01 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12038Marian and Susan’s* Story

By Alison WittProject: Open Homes HamiltonEucharist Church, Hamilton

Open Homes Hamilton exists to welcome newly arrived refugee claimants into communities of belonging. We do this by providing short-term, home-based housing for refugee claimants and surrounding them with a circle of support as they navigate all the complex systems necessary to settle well in Canada. Our vision is to mobilize churches to become places of radical hospitality so that refugee claimants can thrive in the Hamilton community.

Eucharist Church has been at the centre of getting Open Homes Hamilton off the ground. Several Eucharist families volunteer to be hosts and invite refugee claimants to live with them in their homes for a few months. Others in our congregation volunteer to come alongside a newcomer as companions and provide settlement support and friendship. They all work together to form a circle of welcome that lets each refugee guest know that they are valued and that they are not alone.

Marian and her 18-year-old daughter Susan fled Nigeria because it was no longer safe for them to stay there. Their journey led them to Canada where they asked for protection as refugees. When they arrived in Hamilton, they didn’t know a single person. They showed up at the only family shelter in our city but were turned away since at 18 years Susan was considered an adult, rendering them ineligible to stay there. Thankfully, we were able to offer them a room in the home of one of the Eucharist Church host families. God seems to always match each new guest with just the right host family. Susan has lots of special needs since she was born with spina bifida. Their long and complicated journey seeking refuge, as well as their physical challenges, have led to gaps in Susan’s schooling. Matt, the father of their host family, works as a social worker for the public school board. God knew he would be the perfect person to coach Marian and Susan on how to access the various resources and supports available to them in our community.

This week Susan turned 19. We are still the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and, like the rest of us, Susan has been struggling with being isolated. So, her welcome circle decided to surprise her with a lawn party! They blew up balloons, made some signs, brought some KFC chicken (her favourite!), donned their face masks and blessed her with a surprise physically-distanced birthday celebration! It was just one more way to remind Marian and Susan that they are not alone—one more way that churches in Hamilton are supporting refugees in their quest to create a community of belonging.

* names have been changed to protect identity

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/a-glimpse-into-open-homes/feed/0Small Groups and Social Distancinghttps://baptist.ca/2020/05/small-groups-and-social-distancing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=small-groups-and-social-distancing
https://baptist.ca/2020/05/small-groups-and-social-distancing/#commentsTue, 05 May 2020 16:08:51 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12037By Sheldon Dyck, Pastor of Discipleship and Small Groups, Mississauga City Baptist Church (MCBC)

One of my favourite things to do as a pastor of small groups is to invite new friends into Christian community. When I meet those who are new to our church family, my first thought is, “Which of our small groups could embrace this new friend and journey together with them into spiritual growth?” This person may be new to faith and need the nurture of those mature in faith. Or they may have experience in small group ministry and have the potential to become a leader. They may be someone who knows little of Jesus and would benefit from joining Alpha.

Whoever they are, I know that God can use small groups to grow our faith. Here are the critical components that make this happen:

Think life change–come expecting God to be present and to lead you into deeper knowledge of him

Cultivate relationships–invest time and energy into your small group members as these are the people that God will use to help you grow

Promote participation–everyone brings a gift that God will bless, so look for that in each member

Develop group care–group members have the best opportunity to hear, acknowledge and support each other through joys and sorrows

Search and share the Scriptures –receive God’s word together and let it change you

Be involved in something bigger than yourself–discover opportunities to reach out together and serve beyond your group

We have various components of group life at our church. If someone is just exploring who Jesus is and is at the beginning of their spiritual journey, we will invite them to Alpha to get acquainted with the basics of the Christian faith and a group of friends with whom they can make these discoveries. We offer short-term discipleship courses (that last from 6 to 8 weeks) that serve to introduce people to a discipling community and important themes of the Christian life. As a next step in their spiritual journey, we invite each person to take the Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Courses where individuals are challenged to pursue emotional and spiritual maturity in Christ. And as a foundation for long term discipleship, we encourage each person to be connected in a small group where meaningful relationships and spiritual growth can flourish.

As our small groups have grown and developed, each group meets at a time and location that suits their members. But sometimes, people have unique needs that make it hard to attend a group in person, such as shift workers, those with small children and those with health issues. Over the past few years, we began developing online groups and hybrid groups with some members meeting in person and some virtually. This met a significant need.

And then came the pandemic! Now, instead of making small adjustments, we had to rapidly revise our discipleship ministry. Small groups have pivoted to virtual platforms. Currently, at MCBC, we have about 80% of our groups connected online via video chat. The other 20% stay connected through phone calls and text messages. Every group has had to make adjustments in pursuing spiritual growth.

What I have learned from this shift is that social distancing has not stopped our discipleship ministry. Our discipleship pathway now has two tracks: physical and virtual. I think of the apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 1:6. “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” Our groups continue to have thoughtful reflection on the Scriptures and are able to enter into authentic conversations.

The struggle is real in the challenges faced by virtual online groups. We definitely are missing out on handshakes and hugs, and, of course, sharing food together—we are Baptists after all! But there has been a silver lining to all of this, and here are a few things we are seeing in our groups:

An increased hunger for God and some who desperately want to see this season as a time for spiritual growth

Some have found more time and space staying at home to join into group life

New connections and friendships are being formed in our church, even during this season of social distancing

Some have overcome the challenge of new technology and are surprised at how virtual meetings can continue to help their group grow

If you are starting to lead small groups online, here are some things that we have learned:

Be patient with yourself and others as you learn new technology. Expect a learning curve, do practise calls, take advantage of tutorials and laugh along the way!

Check in regularly with your small group leaders in your church. This is new for them too. Plan an online group meeting with leaders to learn from one another.

Connect with other small group pastors and leaders in your community. Find others who are moving to online small groups in your association. I also recommend joining the Small Group Network: contact my friends Dennis Funk or Paul Lam, Church Life and Leadership Associate at CBOQ. You can always email me at dyck@mcbc.org

Here’s the big question: “What will your small groups look like after the end of physical distancing? Perhaps some groups will not want to go back quickly to meeting face to face while others can’t wait to be together again. Either way, let’s offer our leadership out of our own growing confidence in the goodness of God. Remember David’s words in Psalm 62: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

cof

]]>https://baptist.ca/2020/05/small-groups-and-social-distancing/feed/2A Reflection for the Days of COVID-19https://baptist.ca/2020/04/a-reflection-for-the-days-of-covid-19/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-reflection-for-the-days-of-covid-19
https://baptist.ca/2020/04/a-reflection-for-the-days-of-covid-19/#commentsThu, 30 Apr 2020 14:51:31 +0000https://baptist.ca/?p=12033Pastors and church leaders, this reflection is for you to do individually or as a group of leaders. At various points throughout this reflection, you’re invited to pause to consider how you are feeling and to be still before God, sitting in silence. Some questions require you to sit with them for longer times; they are intended to spark your reflection and prayer.

There is no need to complete this in one sitting, nor is there a specific timeline. You may want to complete it alone first, and then meet together to share your answers over a couple of meetings. How you apply it within your congregation is dependent on your discernment.

Purpose

We need to become more self-aware of how the changes in our culture are impacting us and to prayerfully consider how God is calling us to respond to this crisis.

Through CBOQ’s conversations with pastors, we have heard the pressure: to be [as] productive as we were before, to compare with other churches, to be the do-it-all pastor and meet all pastoral care needs, to be tech experts overnight or to fill in the blank.

Our Encouragement to You

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

Matt. 22:37

The greatest commandment has three parts. The first is God is calling us to love him above all else; the second is to love our neighbours. But we often miss the third part hidden within—we must remember to love ourselves.

Jesus tells us that loving yourself is just as important as loving your neighbours. Loving yourself practically means giving yourself permission to take care of yourself, to pay attention to your soul—your relationship with God, to rest physically, to enjoy your family and friends and to allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. At this time, lean into what God is calling you to do and embrace your limits.

By taking care of yourself, you will be better
able to take care of others. We encourage you to
make this your priority.

Reflection

Pour your heart to God in prayer. As the Apostle Peter wrote, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7

Begin with 3-5 minutes of silence.

What changes have you experienced individually?

How are you feeling about these changes?

What changes has your community experienced?

How are you feeling about these changes in your community?

How would you counsel someone else who was going through these changes individually and communally? What would you tell them? (Grace, truth, patience, challenge, rebuke, anger, sadness, compassion, empathy?)

Many of our churches are looking for discipleship resources during COVID-19. Due to physical distancing, our churches have had to get online quickly, including small groups.

One of the best resources available online is the Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (EHD). Emotionallyhealthy.org has some very helpful guidelines for taking the course online.Two courses are offered: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS) and Emotionally Healthy Relationships (EHR).

Why take the courses?

Many churches struggle and fail because of a lack of spiritual and emotional health because they contribute to a toxic culture. Even if your church has great programs, your church will cease to be attractive if it is not spiritually and emotionally healthy. Designed to help your church by equipping leaders and congregants in emotional health and relational health, this course can help change the culture of your church.

Here’s what one of our pastors, Sheldon Dyck of Mississauga City Baptist Church, has to say about his congregations comments on the course:

Why didn’t I learn these materials before?

This day-by-day reading is amazing.

My life is changing as a result of studying and implementing these materials.

Developing a habit of solitude and silence helped to bring healing to my marriage.

Some participants have been a part of church life for a long time, and yet they are discovering that these principles are transforming their relationships.